Canadian authorities announced Monday they have broken up an Al Qaeda-linked terror plot to attack a passenger train as it crossed over a bridge in the Toronto area.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Monday that two suspects have been arrested on terrorism charges. Chiheb Esseghaier and Raed Jaser, who live in greater Montreal and Toronto -- were conspiring to carry out an Al Qaeda-supported attack against Via Rail, but posed no immediate threat to the public.

"It was definitely in the planning stage but not imminent," RCMP chief superintendent Jennifer Strachan told reporters at a news conference.

Ottawa, April 22, 2013 Today, the RCMP arrested two individuals and charged them with conspiring to carry out a terrorist attack against a VIA passenger train. The accused have been charged under sections 248, 235 (1), 83.2, 83.18, 83.21 of the Criminal Code of Canada. As a result of extensive collaborative efforts, the RCMP was able to disrupt the threat early. While the RCMP believed that these individuals had the capacity and intent to carry out these criminal acts, there was no imminent threat to the general public, rail employees, train passengers or infrastructure.

The two accused, Chiheb ESSEGHAIER and Raed JASER, who live in the Montreal and Toronto area were conspiring to carry out a terrorist attack against a VIA passenger train. Charges include conspiring to carry out an attack against, and conspiring to murder persons unknown for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a terrorist group.

The RCMP investigation named Project SMOOTH, was coordinated by RCMP-led Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams (INSETs) in Montreal and Toronto with the close collaboration of domestic partners and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). The RCMP would like to thank its INSET partners including the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Canada Border Services Agency, Toronto Police Service, York Regional Police, Peel Regional Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Durham Regional Police, the Sûreté du Québec and the service de police de la Ville de Montréal. The RCMP is also grateful for the valuable assistance of the FBI, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Transport Canada, VIA Rail and CN Police. These exceptional collaborative efforts directly contributed to making the arrests.

Each and every terrorist arrest the RCMP makes sends a message and illustrates our strong resolve to root out terrorist threats and keep Canadians and our allies safe, stated Assistant Commissioner James Malizia, responsible for Federal Policing Operations. A meaningful response to these threats begins on Canadian streets and in Canadians homes and the RCMP works with all their partners, including communities across Canada, in the fight against terrorism.

The public is always encouraged to bring any suspicious activities to the RCMPs attention through the National Security Information Network (1-800-420-5805) or by contacting the police in their community.

SNIPPET: “The RCMP said it had arrested Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, of Montreal, and Raed Jaser, 35, of Toronto in connection with the plot, which authorities said was not linked to the Boston Marathon bombings, but likely had connections to al-Qaeda.

Neither is a Canadian citizen.”

SNIPPET: “The arrests follow not only last Monday’s Boston Marathon bombings in which three people were killed and more than 200 injured but revelations that Canadians took part in an attack by militants on a gas plant in Algeria in January.

It also recalls the arrests in 2006 of a group of more than a dozen Toronto-area men accused of planning to plant bombs at various Canadian targets. Eleven men were eventually convicted of taking part on the plot.”

Note: I didn’t notice there was an additional comment in the headlines. To all the hard-working agencies; I apologize for the poster’s headline comments. I do not own freerepublic.com; nor am I responsible for other poster’s comments.

SNIPPET: “Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, and Raed Jaser, 35, are charged with receiving support from al Qaeda elements in Iran to carry out an attack and conspiring to murder people on a VIA railway train in the greater Toronto area, Assistant Police Commissioner James Malizia said.

When I speak about supported, I mean direction and guidance, he said.

Despite the allegation of links to al Qaeda in Iran, there was no evidence to suggest the planned attacks were state-sponsored, Malizia said.”

SNIPPET: “RCMP officials said the two accused were plotting to derail a passenger train. Jennifer Strachan, chief superintendent of RCMP criminal operations in the province of Ontario, said the two suspects watched trains and railways in the Greater Toronto Area.

“We are alleging that these two individuals took steps and conducted activities to initiate a terrorist attack,” she told reporters.”

SNIPPET: “There was a specific route targeted, not necessarily a specific train, Strachan said, although she declined to reveal the route. According to a Reuters report, U.S. law enforcement and national security sources said the alleged plot targeted a rail line between Toronto and New York City.

The two men arrested are not Canadian citizens but were in the country legally, police said Monday.”

SNIPPET: “Chiheb Esseghaier studied at University of Sherbrooke, before moving to Institute National de la Recherche Scientifique in Varennes, Que.”

SNIPPET: “RCMP Assistant Commissioner James Malizia said the two accused were getting “direction and guidance” from al-Qaeda elements in Iran.”

TORONTO  Canadian immigration authorities tried to deport the Toronto VIA Rail terror suspect nine years ago but never did so because, as a stateless Palestinian, he could not be sent to any other country, documents obtained by the National Post show.

Raed Jaser was allegedly working illegally under several aliases when he was arrested in August 2004 on an outstanding immigration warrant. Officials wanted to deport him because he had a string of criminal convictions but were forced to set him free after two days.

The governments failure to deport Mr. Jaser allegedly proved costly for Canada: He and co-accused Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, an immigrant from Tunisia, were charged this week with plotting to derail a passenger train traveling from New York to Toronto.

SNIPPET: “(Reuters) - Investigators believe one of two suspects charged in Canada with plotting to blow up a railroad track carrying passenger trains traveled to Iran within the past two years, U.S. law enforcement and national security officials said on Thursday.

Chiheb Esseghaier, a Tunisian-born doctoral student, traveled to Iran on a trip that was directly relevant to the investigation of the alleged plot, the officials said.”

SNIPPET: “Raed Jaser was allegedly working illegally under several aliases when he was arrested in August, 2004, on an outstanding immigration warrant. Officials wanted to deport him because he had a string of criminal convictions but were ordered to set him free after two days.

The governments failure to deport Mr. Jaser allegedly proved costly for Canada: He and co-accused Chiheb Esseghaier, an immigrant from Tunisia, were charged this week with plotting to derail a passenger train traveling from New York to Toronto.

Both remain in custody, while the FBI is holding a third man in New York.”

Tunisian Man Charged with Visa Fraud Related to Terrorism, Intended to Remain in U.S. to Facilitate an Act of International Terrorism

U.S. Attorneys Office
May 09, 2013

Southern District of New York

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; George Venizelos, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Raymond W. Kelly, the Police Commissioner of the city of New York (NYPD), today announced the unsealing of charges against Ahmed Abassi, a Tunisian citizen, for fraudulently applying for a work visa in order to remain in the United States to facilitate an act of international terrorism. Abassi was arrested on April 22, 2013, and was presented and arraigned on May 2 before U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum. Judge Cedarbaum has scheduled a conference in the case for 3:00 p.m. today.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, As alleged, Ahmed Abassi had an evil purpose for seeking to remain in the United Statesto commit acts of terror and develop a network of terrorists here, and to use this country as a base to support the efforts of terrorists internationally. Thanks to the extraordinary vigilance of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, Abassi has been thwarted and is being prosecuted for his alleged crimes. Protecting the residents of the Southern District, and all Americans, from terrorists is the number one priority of this office.

FBI Assistant Director in Charge George Venizelos said, As alleged, Mr. Abassi came to the United States to pursue terrorist activity and support others in the same shameful pursuit. What Mr. Abassi didnt know was that one of his associates, privy to the details of his plan, was an undercover FBI agent. The FBI and its Joint Terrorism Task Force partners will continue working tirelessly to protect the country from those who seek to do us harm. 

NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said, The allegations in this case serve as still another reminder that terrorism has not abated, that we must remain vigilant, and that when we do, terrorist plots against us can be thwarted.

As alleged in the indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court and other documents filed in the case:

Abassi, who previously resided in Canada, traveled to the United States in mid-March 2013, where he remained until his arrest. While in the United States, Abassi, who was under surveillance by law enforcement agents at all times, maintained regular contact with an FBI undercover officer (the UC) and also met with Chiheb Esseghaier in New York City. Esseghaier, who was recently arrested in Canada and is currently incarcerated there on terrorism charges, was previously radicalized by Abassi. During Abassis discussions with Esseghaier and with the UC, which were recorded by the UC, Abassi discussed his desire to engage in terrorist acts against targets in the United States and other countries and his intention to provide support and funding to organizations engaged in terrorist activityincluding the al Nusrah Front, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of State as an alias for Al Qaeda in Iraqand to recruit other individuals for terrorist plots. In particular, Abassi discussed with the UC a number of individuals known to Abassi and/or to his associates, whom he described as like- minded and who, in his view, would be willing to engage in terrorist activity.

On April 12, 2013, Abassi and the UC discussed Abassis efforts to recruit others for terrorist plots and that he might be able to obtain immigration documents to remain in the United States, purportedly in order to work for the UCs U.S.-based company. In reality, Abassi made clear that he wanted to obtain immigration documents and to remain in the United States so that he could engage in projects relating to future terrorist activities, including recruitment. Thereafter, Abassi made false statements on two immigration forms, under penalty of perjury, and subsequently mailed those forms to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for processing.

* * *

The indictment charges Abassi with two counts of knowingly making false statements in an application to the immigration authorities for a green card and work visa in order to facilitate an act of international terrorism. Each count carries a maximum term of 25 years in prison.

The charges and arrest of Abassi are the result of the close cooperative efforts of the United States Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York, the FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Forcewhich principally consists of agents and detectives of the FBI and the NYPDand U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Mr. Bharara also thanked the National Security Division and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for their ongoing assistance.

The prosecution is being handled by the Offices Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys John P. Cronan, Michael Ferrara, and Benjamin A. Naftalis are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

SNIPPET: “Thanks to an unprecedented cooperation between law enforcement and the security units of various departments, VIA Rail and CN, at no time was there an imminent threat to the VIA Rail passengers, employees or the general public. We cooperate with all involved in ensuring the safety and security of our passengers, our employees and the public. We do not comment on law enforcement activities. We acknowledge the work and dedication of the agencies involved.”

SNIPPET: “Court documents released by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York describe how Abassi and Esseghaier worked to hatch the alleged plan including that “the defendant noted that he had suggested an alternative plot — contaminating the air or water with bacteria in order to kill up to 100,000 people — but that Esseghaier was dismissive of that plan.””

SNIPPET: “Abassi’s next court date is set for June 11 in New York City.”

I am in jail, I have been neutralized, but tomorrow, maybe four or five Esseghaiers will appear amongst the one million and a half Muslims living in Canada.”

By: Wendy Gillis News reporter, Published on Sat Jun 22 2013

“

SNIPPET: “The former Université de Sherbrooke PhD student, who came from his native Tunisia in 2008, was arrested in a Montreal McDonalds on April 22.”

SNIPPET: “Esseghaier did confirm he knew his co-accused in the plot, Raed Jaser, who was arrested in Toronto the same day. The two met at a Toronto mosque when Esseghaier left Sherbrooke and came to the city to meet other Muslims, he said.

He also confirmed he has travelled to Iran, where he said he went to visit friends.

Esseghaier did not reply when asked about Ahmed Abassi, a third man arrested in New York by counterterrorism authorities, who claim he had come to the U.S. to set up a terrorist cell.”

SNIPPET: “MONTREAL AND TORONTO  Ahmed Abassi could have had few complaints about the life Canada had given him. After arriving from Tunisia in 2010, he married and started working on a graduate degree in chemical engineering in Quebec City.”

SNIPPET: “Mr. Kenney has already ordered his officials to review the immigration histories of Mr. Esseghaier, also a Tunisian, and Mr. Jaser, who was born in the United Arab Emirates. Both terror suspects had received landed immigrant status since 2012  in Mr. Jasers case despite being a failed refugee claimant with a string of criminal arrests.”

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